A small contingent of Navy personnel recently deployed to Baniyala to undertake a cultural immersion and a co-designed leadership experience with Yolŋu community members from East Arnhem in the Northern Territory.
The activity aimed to foster mutual understanding and respect between Navy and First Nations people and their connection to the sea.
Navy Indigenous Adviser Commander Michael Henry said the group worked with community to build a traditional lippa-lippa (dugout canoe), with the goal of sailing it across the ceremonial waters of Blue Mud Bay.
"This visit is about more than just presence," Commander Henry said.
"It's about listening, learning and walking alongside communities like Baniyala who have a deep, enduring connection to the sea."
Navy's use of canoes traces back to World War 2, when coastwatchers were deployed across northern Australia.
During this time, First Nations people played a vital role in supporting coastwatchers by providing intelligence, transportation and assistance in rescuing downed airmen and shipwrecked sailors.
'There's so much we can learn from each other about environmental knowledge, resilience and care for sea country.'
Djambawa Marawili and other community leaders welcomed the personnel to Baniyala during a disciplinary ceremony called Raypirri Rom.
The Raypirri Rom ceremony focuses on fostering discipline, respect and cultural values, often used in educational settings to teach students about Yolŋu law.
The term 'Raypirri' translates to discipline, and the 'Rom' refers to ancestral law and customary practices that guide social interactions and responsibilities within the Yolŋu culture.
These ceremonies aim to instil a strong connection to culture and land, and to navigate respectful relationships within the community.
Commander Henry said that, for Navy, visits to communities like Baniyala are not just symbolic - they are practical opportunities to evolve the shared maritime narrative by elevating the shared interests in maritime heritage and stewardship.
"The Yolŋu people have navigated these waters for thousands of years," Commander Henry said.
"There's so much we can learn from each other about environmental knowledge, resilience and care for sea country."
